I Can Touch the Bottom (8 page)

“Well, let that rotten-mouth-in-her-feelings trick call Dr. Phil's baldheaded ass or go vent somewhere else. This motherfucker over here is a straight no-vent zone!”

Stackz had just about enough of hearing Leela talking trash, that good shit about how she was that real deal. Even though he hoped no one called the police before he left, he wanted to see if her turn-up was official. “Naw, bro, your girl wanna be all that; let the shit ride!” After coaxing his brother to let her go, Stackz grinned, waiting for a potential battle royal to jump off.

“Yeah, Gee, let me go. I don't give two hot shits if your brother sent her brother on his way last night. She still ain't gon' come over here going for bad, like I pulled the trigger. Fuck her and fuck him too! She wanna act like she about that life—well, so the fuck do I.” Leela pushed the gate open, boldly marching out onto the front porch. As if on cue, Leela began snapping on the biggest female she'd ever had to face. Even though she was unsure of the outcome, that still wasn't gonna stop her from going hard, especially in front of an audience. Win, lose, or draw, Leela felt confident because she had two of Detroit's most gutter niggas in her living room, along with her sister cheering her on.

Threats were thrown back and forth amongst the lightweight and heavyweight thots. Suddenly, it was as if each of them heard a bell ring. Leela sprang off the porch, and big girl moved into action as fast as her tree trunk legs would allow. They squared up like pro MMA fighters. Big girl swung first, missing Leela's head because she ducked. Leela caught ole girl with two quick punches to the side of her head, but fat girl was unfazed. She closed her eyes, swung wildly, rocking Leela halfway to sleep. Leela couldn't recover from the blows to her face and head. She fell down, and Devin's sister had her right where she wanted her—underneath, with all her weight pressed on top of her. All Leela could do was shield the attack.

Ava had seen enough. Sister or not, she secretly didn't mind seeing Leela get her ass beat; she just didn't deserve this ass whooping. So, of course, Ava did what any real sister would do . . . assist Leela. Unlike Leela, she wasn't about to play no games at all with Big Bertha. Ava politely walked off the porch. Reaching over, she swooped up one of her sister's kid's tricycle by the handlebars. Walking fast with deliberate intent, Ava saw red as she cocked back the tricycle with one hand, aiming it at the female's head. Bringing it crashing down, Ava hit on target. Instantly, blood squirted out of the top of big girl's head. With her skull cracked and leaking, it slowed down her assault on Leela, but didn't stop it altogether. Ava then picked up a piece of wood that was thrown on the side of the vacant house next to theirs. Gripping up, she swung the thick board like an ax, hitting the side of her neck. This time, big girl was fucked up. Allowing Leela to breathe, she fell over on the ground, wounded, exhausted, and wanting no more trouble. Blood was in her eyes and covered her face as she got up, stumbling to her car. Before she pulled off, she promised both Leela and Ava that she'd see their asses again.

Ava scraped Leela up off the ground, helping her in the house. They went straight into the bathroom where the light was good. She inspected her sister for any serious wounds. Despite all the blows she took, Leela managed to only have a few scrapes and bruises and a swollen eye. Her pride was more hurt than anything else. Talking shit while she got herself together, Gee was dogging her out about having got her ass handed to her, and that Ava was the real MVP of the family, having to save her big sister's ass.

Ava sat down on the sofa crossing her legs. With folded arms, she was still heated from the drama that'd just taken place. She hated beefing with females, and now, because Leela wanted to go for bad, Ava too now had beef looming in the street. Stackz sat close to her as she tried calming down. He wanted to sit around and kick it with her, and if they were maybe upstairs in a cleaner environment, he would've. However, he was pressed for time, knowing he had business on the floor. Stackz asked Ava if she had a phone, and she smartly replied, “Don't everybody?” He laughed, and she laughed as they exchanged numbers. The pair agreed to hook up sooner than later, and with that exchange, he hollered for Gee to bring his ass; the streets were calling.

T. L. was out and about in the streets of Detroit from east to west, picking up money. Everywhere he went, people were talking about the shooting at Legends Coney Island on the West Side that left one dead and two others shot. After T. L. kept hearing people talk about the shooting, he wanted to know what the police were saying, but didn't have time to go look at the news because he had bread to get out of the mud. So he did what any street nigga on the move would do: pulled up “Crime In The D” on the gram for the latest updates on crime in the city.

The police chief always made his presence known on the page making comments to the media about what actions were being taken and preventive measures against crime. Sure enough, at the top of the page, T. L. got the info he wanted; which was, there were no suspects. No video of the incident because of equipment malfunction and the victims, along with restaurant employees, have no concrete description of shooter or getaway vehicle.

After calling Tangy, telling her he wanted to give her some of his dick for a job well done, T. L. called his man, Stackz. “Yeah, dawg, the streets is definitely talking about what jumped off. That shit even on the gram, but from what I saw, that nigga Devin was a setup dude; straight slimeball, ya' feel me? If it wouldn't been by your hand, then it was coming soon anyhow.”

“I ain't never gonna cry over having to send a lame on they way for stepping to me wrong, but fuck. A nigga like me was trying to live right; stay out here for a few. See how y'all live in the free world!”

T. L. quickly informed Stackz he had his back, and all he has to do is give him the green light on anybody, and they were as good as dead. “Look, fam, you don't even have to worry about all that. I got you on this, I promise. Them other two fags ain't about shit to a player like me. I'll be in and out. Make the shit simple.” He begged Stackz to let him go to Receiving Hospital to finish Rank and Mickey off. He swore to Stackz adamantly that he wouldn't disappoint him or let him down. “I know you been gone for a long time, family, and you know it's all love and nothing but respect, but I'm grown now. I'll put in that work for you, no doubt. I ain't just about that life; I
am
the life.”

Stackz saluted his gangster. He told T. L. he was proud of him and glad to have him on the team; that he was the son he never had but wished he did. “Man, I'm telling you I love your loyalty. You always got ya manz best interest at heart, and that shit is rare as fuck. But if you make a high-profile gangster move like that, shit would only bring more heat and slow up how we getting this paper, which is unacceptable.” Stackz then gave T. L. more directions to follow as to who to go take big packages to and where. They ended the phone conversation by saying, “One,” showing a sign of unity amongst them.

Stackz got off the phone with T. L. “Yo, that young boy is a straight savage. We raised a damn animal out there. But one thing for sure, two things for certain . . . He a team player like a motherfucker. He ready to go burn down the police station, if need be, and stand outside with the matches when they run out.”

“Dawg, T. L. wild, that's for sure,” Gee agreed while lighting up a blunt.

“Well, one good thing; he told me the streets is talking. We knew that much was gonna happen. But they ain't got no clue who did what. Them ho-ass niggas must be keeping they mouth shut and not telling the police shit.”

“Yeah, true that. And T. L. got Tangy under control. Ain't no loose ends. You good!”

Giving Gee the serious side eye from the passenger seat of the truck, Stackz rubbed his hands together as if he was scheming. “Maybe, maybe not. I mean, on some serious shit, how much you really know about Ava and Leela? I'm saying, can they be trusted, or is all that ‘we down, we down' bullshit just a front? 'Cause like I said, I don't mind killing a bitch; even one as fine as Ava.”

Gee was quick to give his big brother the rundown so he could ease his mind. “Okay, now, Leela, she ain't as smart as Ava. You can already tell that much before she even opens that good dick-sucking mouth of hers. Leela problem is she fucks with dudes to get what she can out of them far as a few dollars and be way too loyal to the wrong motherfuckers. She been like that for years.”

“My point exactly, so if she can be bought so easy, who to say she won't sell me out to Crime Stoppers or the next nigga in the city with that cheese?”

Gee replied with a smile on his face. “Come on, now, what crew in this city got more paper than us?”

“True that.” Stackz gave him some dap.

“Look, bro, if she show any signs of selling out, she dead; her and Ava. I don't give a fuck how long I been knowing them hoes. You know how we do!”

“Dig that.” Stackz sat back, hoping what Gee claimed was indeed credible.

Gee hit the blunt twice more before tossing the tail out the window and continued his rundown of the sisters. “Now, Ava, like I said, got her head on hustling. She going to school to be a pharmacist or some shit like that. She works at some doctor's office part-time over around the way. Girl be getting the doctor's scripts and flipping the shit outta them bad boys. Ava can get it all; anything. . . OxyContin, Vicodins, Norco, and Xanax. You name it, bro. Oh yeah, and she owns the two-family flat they living in. She bought it all on her own at an auction.”

“Well, that explains why her crib looks like heaven, and her sister's crib look like hell. But, damn, nigga, if you all like Ava for president and shit, why you hitting Leela's nothing ass off instead of baby sis?” Stackz was just trying to keep it real with his little brother, wanting to know the true reason. “Is she gay or something? I mean, why? Put me up on game!”

Gee couldn't do anything but shake his head. He often thought about how he got caught up with hitting Leela off too, instead of Ava, but the reality was simple. Leela had been giving out free pussy and head passes to guys in the hood since she was eleven, maybe twelve. Ava, on the other hand, was a schoolgirl focused on nothing but her studies. And after her older sister had blessed a guy, so to speak, Ava didn't want any part of their tainted selves. Gee included.

“Naw, dude, she ain't gay, not at all. She just one of them females that don't entertain that bullshit. She a good girl, always have been, ya feel me? And besides, you know I likes them freaks!”

Stackz had seen the type of females his brother would bring around and knew what he was saying was true. Much like T. L., they always went for the crazy-as-hell, window-busting, shit-talking, razor-blade-in-their-weave, let-me-have-some-money-for-this-pussy-type of women. That was their thang. “Yeah, well, what's up on them pills? She got you plugged or what?”

Gee sped up, nearing their exit off the freeway, “Naw, bro, here's the thing. Ava been said she'd hook me up, but when I fall through and try holler at her, Leela always manages to find a way to put my dick in her damn mouth. I ain't bullshitting, dawg, and by the time she done sucking me dry, a guy too tired to discuss business.”

“What the fuck!” Stackz laughed at what Gee was telling him. “Are you serious, fool? Too tired to talk about making money? Nigga, miss me with all that. You betta boss up. Let me find out you out here shittin' on the family name!”

“Nigga, I'm telling you, Leela skull game dangerous; she got skills; crazy swallow-a-nigga-whole skills.” Gee turned looking over at Stackz. “And yeah, I peeped the way you was rocking with Ava. You just betta hope that shit ain't in they bloodline, 'cause the same shit might happen to ya ass too!”

Stackz immediately gave Gee the
imagine that bullshit
expression. “Dawg, I ain't cut like that. Ain't no pussy or head better than getting this money, you best recognize. And as for Ava, if she act right, I might just touch the bottom.”

“Okay, now, fam, I'm telling you, it's some serious skulldullery going on over at that crib.” Gee mocked his brother one last time as they pulled up at their destination. “Okay, Stackz, you've been warned.”

* * *

It had been nothing short of sheer pandemonium for the three best friends since deciding to try Stackz. If they would have just kept minding their own business, ate their food, and left like everyone else, things may have been different. If Rank and Mickey could turn back the hands of time, one of them could have been man enough to stand up to Devin and convince him that all money wasn't good money. That each had looked at Stackz, sizing him up, and could easily see he was not like the other customers that'd come into the restaurant to grab a late-night, early-morning meal. Devin should have seen that much for himself, but either was blind to the fact or just didn't give a damn. Whichever of the two factors that made him jump for bad had caused him his own life and almost the lives of his two follow-the-leader henchmen.

Dressed in soft powder-blue scrubs, the technician working the day shift aided Rank back to his room. With her assistance, she helped him up into his hospital bed in the Emergency Room. Thanks to Stackz attempting to peal his cap back, Rank had a deep, inch-long open wound from the bullet, narrowly penetrating all the way full force. Having just come back from x-rays, the doctors advised Rank that had he'd been hit a mere three centimeters over toward the right, he'd be downstairs in the refrigerated morgue, laid out alongside his friend.

Rank's head wound was thoroughly cleaned before they put three staples across it and a white gauze bandage. Having one of his eyes semiswollen shut and his front tooth missing from diving face-first onto the ground to avoid any more of Stackz's return fire barrage of bullets, Rank was sore all over. He had the worst headache of his life, almost wishing he was dead. Lying back in hopes of getting some rest, Rank replayed the entire avoidable incident in his mind. He knew Devin was wrong as two left feet and knew he and Mickey were misguided for running out in the parking lot trying to be hard, but it was what it was and is what it is. Stackz had killed they manz and one day, someway, Rank vowed revenge to the nigga that'd almost took his life as well.

Out loud through a cracking voice Rank mumbled, “RIP, bro; he gonna pay. Can somebody please get me a charger for my phone?”

Upset and snapping on people because they only had iPhone chargers and he had an Android phone, one of the young nurse's aides went to the gift shop and bought him a charger. Finally, he powered his phone on, and fifteen text messages from Leela popped up, back to back to back. As Rank read through texts, Mickey walked into his room with his arm in a sling and his shoulder patched up. Since the bullet went in and out, he was able to sign himself out of the hospital and be on his way. They greeted each other and shared a deep sense of shame knowing they got fucked over and their boy body bagged; all three by one man.

“What are you on? Who are you calling?” Mickey asked Rank, who was focused on looking at his cell.

“Dude, Leela has been blowing up my phone and texting the shit outta me. Devin sister came up here on the nut before I went to take x-rays. You know she going ham about, bro.”

“Word,” he replied while trying to adjust his sling a little bit more comfortably.

“You know she was going through it down here. His entire family was. Did they come in your room?” Rank looked up waiting for an answer as he still talked. “She was all up in my damn face like I killed his ass. And as soon as I even mentioned Leela's name, she went ape shit with her big ass. Dumb bitch wouldn't even give me a chance to tell her Leela didn't have jack shit to do with it, but she wasn't try to hear nothing else I was trying to say. Last I know, she was headed over to Leela's house on some rah-rah shit. I was trying to call and warn Leela; give her a heads-up.”

Mickey could only shake his head, not being able to imagine what Devin's family, especially his mother, was going through, waking up to the news no parent or loved one wanted to receive. “Naw, I didn't see them, but the fucking police came to my room. But you know me, I played the amnesia role on they ass and said it was some random nigga we never seen before just started spraying the parking lot. I sent them packing, but they ho ass said they was gonna get back at me later! Man, fuck 'em!”

“That's right, nigga,” Rank agreed, snarling his face at the business card Mickey showed him. “Fuck the damn police. We gonna handle this shit street style; for Devin. Now, let me call this girl real quick before ole girl pull up over there on some ambush shit and get to molly whopping bitches.”

* * *

Unfortunately, by the time Rank was able to get through to Leela, it was too late. Blaming the delay on poor reception in the hospital, he apologized, knowing how Devin's sister had gone ham on him as well.

“Yeah, the tramp was over here trying to go on me, but you know that type of shit don't fly in this jurisdiction. Flat out, her big, triple-cheeseburger-eating-ass thought she wanted it, but ended up getting it,” Leela bragged while placing a cold rag on her eye, hoping the swelling would go down. “When you see her, ask her how that head doing. You know that fool left here leaking! Shit, she probably on her way straight to the hospital, ole dumb bitch! I told her I ain't have shit to do with Devin getting killed but—”

“I already know.” Rank cut Leela off before running down his firsthand account of what transpired after she and Ava were given a hood pass to leave the restaurant.

After hearing everything Rank said, she was heated at Devin for being so stupid to go outside like he was Scarface and Stackz for doing what he was truly supposed to do; protect himself and life at all cost. Leela couldn't help but think that the man who took Devin's life had just been in her house.
This the same nigga that sat on my sofa, took a piss in my toilet, and I lied to the police about—Gee's damn brother! What the fuck!
Leela wanted to tell Rank and Mickey she'd found out who Devin's killer was quicker than both of them and the police but decided to wait. Not because she gave a fuck about any of the parties involved. It was all about her and how the information could benefit her.